Remember Me
by ADivergentRebel
Summary: 16 year old Beatrice Prior works part time at Hot Topic. She begins to discover her true identity among her pierced, tattooed, and black-clothed coworkers. But what will happen when she crosses paths an eerily familiar young man with dark blue eyes and a number for a name? She begins to realize that maybe even the government has its secrets, and things aren't always what they seem.
1. Chapter 1

I nod my head to the heavy metal music and finish ringing up a customer. I am the only one who is not pierced and tattooed here.

"Thanks, have a nice day!" I say.

She smiles and grabs her bag. I turn around and begin to organize the cashier.

Because of my friendship with the manger, Tori, she offered to make this my first part-time job. I am currently a student at Chicago High School, and would eventually like to go to the Chicago School of the Art Institute. So I needed to get a job.

And being sixteen, I'd gladly except any job. But working here at Hot Topic is kind of awesome, actually. I love the atmosphere. The dim lighting and loud music take me to another place. When I work here, clad in black from head to toe, I feel brave.

I feel like this job has revealed a side of me that I didn't even really know or understand. I always knew I had a fearless, some might call it reckless, side. This allows me to access it.

My father however, would greatly disapprove. He has always called people that have brightly colored hair, tattoos, or piercings, "Hellions". I call them Dauntless. And I am becoming one of them. I don't think I'll do any _to_ strange, though.

"Hey," My coworker, Lynn says. Her bald head glows under the dim light. She shaved it to prove a point. The point being that she is just as tough as any guy, and gender doesn't matter. She doesn't want people to look down on her. I completely understand and agree, I just wouldn't shave my head to make that statement.

I look at her and raise my eyebrows as if to say, _What?._

"I'm checking out. You're on your own until Uriah gets here."

I nod. She grabs her things and heads out the door.

It's been kind of slow today. I am the only one in the store now. That is, until a young man walks in. He wears a dark shirt and jeans. His hair is so dark it appears to be black, and it is buzzed short. His eyes are a dark color that I cannot discern, and his nose is hooked at the end. This combination would be strange on anyone else, but it fits him. And, makes him quite attractive. He strides in, his eyes focused on the merchandise. He must be looking for something specific.

"Can I help you?" I ask, stepping out from behind the counter.

He looks up, and his eyes find mine. They are dark blue.

"No, that's alright." He says, continuing to look at me.

"Alright. Let me know if you need any help."

He nods and walks towards the back of the store. I make an attempt to busy myself reorganizing merchandise, and shirts people were too lazy to fold. But something about him continues to hold my attention.

In a few moments, he walks back to the register. I notice a few seconds later and scurry behind the counter. "Sorry." I say.

"Don't apologize." He says, almost sternly. "You were busy."

The tension between us is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

He sets down his item on the counter. It is a pendant, with a black flame. It suits him. I grab it, and the plastic package makes a crinkly noise. I flip it over to search for the barcode, and upon finding it, scan it. His eyes are on me the entire time. I pretend to not notice or care, but I can feel heat rise on my cheeks. Thank goodness for the dim lighting. As I place his pendant in a bag, and a song by Fall Out Boy begins to play.

_Some legends are told_

_Some turn to dust or to gold _

His gaze shifts to my name tag.

"Tris," He says slowly.

_But you will remember me_

_remember me for centuries_

His deep blue eyes burn into my dull blue-gray ones.

"I'm Four." He says.

_And just one mistake _

_is all it will take_

I nod. "Nice to meet you."

_We'll go down in history_

"You too, Tris. See you around." He says, and I think I see the corner of his lips tug upward. My heart pounds in my chest. And with that, he walks away.

_Remember me for centuries_


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Tris," Uriah says, prancing into the store.

"Hey, Uri." I keep my gaze fixed on the cashier. He walks towards me and wraps an arm around my shoulders, giving me a friendly squeeze. I look up at him and smile a little.

"What's up?" He asks casually. "Oh," I say. "Nothing really."

He smirks. "I saw that boy who left the store. He was blushing. I'm afraid to ask what happened between you two."

"What? Four?" My eyes widen and heat rises to my cheeks. "I mean um."

Uriah bursts into hysterical laughter. "Did you at least lock the doors?"

My face turns even redder. "URIAH!" I scream.

He doubles over in laughter, holding his stomach. I groan, but can't help the hint of smile that forms on my face at the fact that _Four was blushing_.

"I'll see you later." I grab my gray purse and keys. Uriah manages to nod through his laughter.

I roll my eyes and head out the door, wondering if Four is still in the mall. Once I exit through the dark doors of Hot Topic, I am almost blinded with the bright light of the mall. Out here, my outfit looks strange. I am wearing a black shirt, black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, and combat boots.

Normally I'll leave the mall right after work, but today I think I'll stay a little while. My boots screech on the white polished tiles as I head towards food court. If he's still here, he is most likely to be in the food court. Four doesn't seem like the shopping type.

Sure enough, Four is standing in the middle of the food court eyeing every menu. I can't help but stare. His hands are in his jeans pockets, and I see now that his jeans are dark blue. They complement his eyes nicely.

_What am I doing? _I internally scold myself. _Why am I stalking this man I just met? _

But it feels as if I have known him before, somehow. Everything inside of myself tells me that we have a special connection. That we are not strangers. But the idea is so ludicrous I push it aside. I begin to turn around and walk in the other direction.

Someone places a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I swing around and begin to throw a punch at whoever's hand it is. I am met with a pair of enchanting blue eyes, and stop myself halfway through the punch. I slowly bring my raised fist back down to rest by my side.

"Sorry," I laugh a little.

His lips curve into a small smile. "It's alright." He pauses and scratches the back of his neck. "You must be hungry. Would you like to grab something to eat?" His low voice says.

I nod. "I would love to."

His eyes light up. "Panera is right down the street." He shifts a little.

"I love Panera!" I smile and we walk out of the mall towards the surrounding restaurants.

We walk in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence. After a moment, though, he speaks.

"This is probably going to sound strange," He pauses. "but I think we have a-"

"Special connection." I cut him off. "Yeah, me too."

He stops walking to look at me. "You felt it too?"

I nod. "I don't really believe in love at first sight but... I don't know. There is definitely something between us."

His lips pull into a grin. "I just think the universe wants us to be together."

I stare into the depths of his mesmerizing blue eyes and smile. Suddenly a name pops into my head. "Tobias," I breathe.

His eyes widen and he takes my face in both of his hands. "How did you know that?" "I don't know," I whisper.

He takes my hand in his, and it is as if a million lighting bolts are coursing throughout my body, burning with white hot electricity. I look down at our entwined hands, then back to Tobias's face. His mouth hangs slightly open, and he is staring at our hands also, trying to figure out why this bond between us is so strong, when we only met about thirty minutes ago.

"Let's discuss this over lunch." He says, giving my hand a comforting squeeze.

The person that stood before my cash register mere moments ago seems to be replaced with a softer, gentler man. And his name is Tobias.


	3. Chapter 3

When Tobias and I walk through the doors of Panera, the comforting smell of pastries and fresh baked bread fills my nostrils. I take a deep breath, then let out a content sigh. Tobias looks down at me and smiles. I see a light that was not there before, shining bright in his eyes. And then _I remember. _

_Flashback: (5 years ago) _

_I am 11, and flying by myself for the first time. I was here in Houston visiting some relatives and am trying to get back to Chicago. _

_"I'm sorry Sweetie, but all flights to Chicago have been canceled tonight because of the blizzard." The flight attendant says, looking down at something on her desk. "You'll have to spend the night here." _

_My eyes widen. I am only 11, and she wants me to spend the night in an airport? By myself? I put my hands in my pockets to look for my phone, but come up with nothing. My pockets are empty. Panicked, l scurry out of the gate. _

_The airport is full of people. Many of them are in groups, families even. There are the gates on my left and an arrangement of fast food restaurants on my right. I've never really realized how big airports are until now. The tall, modern ceilings raise high above my head, and the noise of people talking echo throughout the building. _

_I look up. A huge sign says __**Terminals A-B - **__and beneath that it says __**Tram for terminals C-D **_

_I've always liked trains. Trams are similar. I decide to follow the sign so I can ride the tram, in a desperate attempt to calms myself down. _

_As I walk, tall, strange men pass me by. Sweat begins to accumulate on my palms and I scurry toward the tram. This is going to be a long night. _

_Once I arrive at the doors, I am the only one there. I look at the clock on the wall. It reads __**10:30**__. In a moment, a loud voice booms over the speakers. "Please move away from the doors, the _

_tram is arriving." _

_The tram races into my line of sight, and then comes to a complete stop. The doors open automatically. _

_I walk through the doors and look around. A boy sits on the bench in the very back, his hands pressed firmly against the glass window. He doesn't look much older than me. _

_The voice fills the speakers again. "The doors are closing, please hold on." _

_I look over my shoulder as the automatic doors swing into their locked position. The boy takes his hands off the glass window to look at me. He looks about 13, He is handsome. His eyes are a color I have never seen before, a dreaming, sleeping, waiting color. A beautiful shade of dark blue. His dark brown, almost black hair, is buzzed short. The area around his eyes are red and puffy, like he was crying. Looks me in the eyes. _

_"Why are you alone?" He asks, concern filling his voice. _

_I smile a little. This boy I don't know, cares that I'm alone. _

_He scoots over a little and pats the empty space next to him on the bench. I hesitantly walk towards him, rolling my little black carry-on behind me. _

_"I'm traveling alone." I say. "All the flights back home were canceled tonight." I bite my lip to keep from crying. I was fine until I said it out loud. _

_His eyes widen. "Did you call your parents?"  
>I bite my lip even harder. "I lost my phone."<br>"Oh," he says, looking down at his lap.  
>"What are you doing here?" My voice cracks.<br>"Um. Well I'm stuck here tonight too. I'm trying to get to Chicago." I smile a little. "Me too!" _

_"Really?" He asks, looking back up at me and smiling. I nod my head vigorously. _

_"We should stick together tonight then. I would hate for you to spend the night alone in this big airport." _

_I puff out my chest a little. "I could handle it." I say, defensively. _

_He grins. "I know you could. You look tough," he pauses. "and strong." _

_I offer him a small smile, as a tear slips down my cheek. "What's your name?" I ask. _

_"Tobias," he replies. "What's your name?" _

_"Beatrice." A second tear rolls down my cheek. "Sorry." I say. _

_"Don't apologize." He says, softly. His hand brushes over my cheek, wiping away my tears. He doesn't wipe them off of his hands, though. _

_We talk a little and get to know each other, as the tram approaches terminal D. _

_"We should probably get off here," Tobias says, looking at the doors that are just starting to open. I nod, and follow him off the tram. Our flight is leaving from this terminal tomorrow. _

_The gates and terminals, are empty. Every step we take echoes throughout the building. I look around, and feel small. I realize that this space looks even bigger without people in it. The gate numbers run across our left hand side, and closed magazine stores line our right. Tobias turns and walks toward gate 46. _

_"We'll stay here tonight." He says, sitting down in one of the chairs. _

_I sit down in the one next to him. I'm scared. This place is huge. No telling, who or what is hiding here. _

_Tobias notices my discomfort and raises the arm rest that is between us. I pull my legs up onto the chair, and tuck them underneath me so that I am sitting on them. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and brings me to him. The practical side of myself __scolds me. What are you doing? It says. You just met him! _

_I've always thought that love at first sight was impossible. Now, I don't think it is. _

_"Thank you." I lean my face against his chest. "I wouldn't of made it tonight without you." _

_He chuckles softly. "You're stronger than you think," he says. "You would of been fine." He pause for a moment. "I'm the one who wouldn't of made it." _

_His heart picks up its pace underneath the soft fabric of his shirt. "What do you mean?" I ask, confused.  
>He sighs softly. "I guess I should tell you why I'm actually here tonight." I nod. <em>

_"My dad and I decided to have my mother's funeral here in Texas, because this is where my aunts live. When we got here today, to go back home, my dad took me into an empty airport bathroom, and told me how my mother's death was my fault." _

_I feel a drop of water land on my head._

_"He undid his belt and threw off my shirt. And he..." Tobias winces. _

_"He started to beat me, and told me that if I wanted to get home, I better figure out a way because there was no way in hell he would buy me a plane ticket. So my father, Marcus, got on the last flight that actually went through to Chicago before the blizzard hit. Right as he left though, I saw you. Just the way you acted and how independent you were, I knew something about you was special. I've never really liked any girls before, or any other people, for that matter. You're different, special, and strong. And you were certainly brave." He finishes. _

_"I'm not brave. I was just crying a minute ago." I say. _

_"Sometimes it takes more courage to cry." He says, softly. "I can just tell by the way you carry yourself. Someday the world will be awed by your strength and bravery. I like you, Beatrice." _

_He hugs me tighter.  
>"I like you too, Tobias." <em>

_Okay, I believe in love at first sight. _

_I nuzzle my face deeper into his chest, and his warmth fills my entire being. Tonight, both of us are just so desperate, scared, and hurt, that we just need someone to hug. And I think we might of even found something more. He kisses the top of my head. I try not to think about how greatly my parents would disapprove of this, but rather I think about how lucky I am to be here. I think I'm starting to believe the statement, "Everything happens for a reason." What started out as a nightmare, turned into the most beautiful thing. Without being stuck over night, I never would of met Tobias. Since I am only 11, and Tobias is only 13, of course we don't know what love is. But I think I'm starting to. I do know, if I was around him long enough. I would grow to love him. They say I'm an old soul, after all. _

_After a while, I fall asleep with my face buried deep in Tobias's chest, listening to his heartbeat. And I forget about the strange men, the big buildings, and the things that could be hidden deep inside of this airport. I am safe here in his arms. _

_The next day, Tobias got on a different flight to go to Chicago then I did. I'll never forget what he said to me before he left._

_"I hope you remember me." I said, and gave him a hug. _

_"Oh Beatrice," He said. "I"ll remember you for centuries." _


	4. Chapter 4

The memories rush into my head so fast and intense, I almost fall over. Tobias looks at me concerned.

"You alright?" He asks.

I place a hand to forehead and nod. He places his hand in between my shoulder blades to steady me. His fingers are so long they cover the majority of my back. Tobias or "Four" leads me toward a booth. I sit down and put my head in between my knees. I feel sick. He runs a hand along my back.

"I'll go get our food." He says.  
>I manage to nod. <em>How could I of had absolutely no recollection of such an important memory? <em>

In a few moments, Tobias slides in the booth seat across from me with two Broccoli Cheddar soups in bread bowls. Steam rises from the hot bowls of soup and head toward Tobias. He got my favorite. The cheesy smell, mixed with the smell of fresh bread fills the inside of my nostrils. I take a deep breath and sigh, the warmth of the soup and bread making me temporarily forget about my lack of memories.

"I hope you like this," He places the dish in front of me. "I just guessed."  
>I smile. "It's my favorite."<br>His face lights up.  
>I take a spoonful of the soup. And in a moment I can't help but say, "I remember you." He looks up from his bowl of soup and raises his eyebrows. "What?"<p>

"We were in the airport. In Houston." I pause. "I'm Beatrice."  
>He scrunches his eyebrows together in confusion. And my heart shatters.<p>

_He doesn't remember me. _

I bite my lip. It definitely wasn't a dream. But weirdly enough, I have no recollection of getting home from Houston. I take another bite of the soup, and dip some bread in it this time.

"But, your father," I say, trying to collect my thoughts.

His eyes widen.

"Marcus." I finish.

His eyes turn cold. "How do you know all of this?" His low voice growls.

I look down and fiddle with my spoon. "You helped me," I say. "In the airport. I was 11 and you were 13."

His eyes soften slightly and he shakes his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about." I sigh and explain the entire memory to him.

When I finish, he is looking down at his food, his eyebrows scrunched together in concentration. "I don't remember that." He says, slowly. His lips turn down into a frown. "I want to, though. Because there is definitely something between us, whether it be love at first sight or not." He sighs. "And everything you said about Marcus is true." His eyes darken with anger. "But that's not a problem now."

I want to press him further, and ask him what he means by that. But I decide against it. "So, why am I just now remembering, and you don't remember at all?" I say.  
>"It probably traces back to Marcus." He mumbles.<br>I raise my eyebrows, as if asking him to continue.

"He worked with the government. That is, until he was arrested for child abuse." "What did he do?" I ask, thinking this could lead us somewhere.

"I don't know." He says, slowly. "I bet we could find out though." He pauses. "But I should probably get checked in the head first, to make sure I don't have some memory disorder or something, before we start to blame Marcus."

I never met Marcus, but from what 13 year old Tobias told me, my first instinct is to blame him. "And plus," Tobias continues. "I'd like to get to know you better."  
>"Yeah," I say. "Me too."<br>"You'd like to get to know you better too?" He asks, a smirk forming on his face.

I roll my eyes. "You know what I meant."

He chuckles softly. "Well then. What's your favorite color?"

I laugh a little. "This might sound strange, but I love black and grey."

He smiles. "What are your hobbies?"

I grin. "Where do I even start? I love creative writing, I'm an artist, I took Hip Hop dance a while ago..." I pause. "My teacher said I could of made a career in it, but... I don't know." I shrug. "I'd like to go to college at the Chicago School of the Art Institute. And maybe major in creative writing. Or animation. Or go to North Western and major in creative writing. So that's why I got a job at Hot Topic. So I could earn enough money to go, but I'm hoping for a scholarship." I rest my chin on my hand. "I also take self defense and enjoy facing my fears."

He smiles. "You have a lot going for you."

I shrug. "I don't know."

"I'd love to see something you've drawn or written sometime." He says.

I offer him a small smile. "Sometime." I say. "But what about you?"

"I also take self defense, I'm very athletic but don't really play any sports." He pauses. "If that makes any sense."

I nod. "It totally makes sense. That's how I am too."

He smiles. "And my favorite colors are grey and black too."

We spend about three hours just sitting in Panera, learning about each other. Tobias is even more incredible than I thought.

"I like you a lot, Tobias." I say after a while. "You're the only person I've ever met who would be compatible with me."

His thick eyebrows raise in surprise. "Even with my past?"

I smile a little. "Especially with your past. You didn't let it control you and you overcame it. And became a great person."

His eyes light up. I suppose no one has ever told him that.

"I like you too, Tris." He says. He looks at me and shakes his head, smiling. "You're absolutely incredible."


	5. Chapter 5

Several months pass, and Tobias and I really begin to know each other. Everyday after work we will either go out to eat, to the movies, or even just mindlessly wander around the mall. With everyday that passes, I become closer to him.

Today, though, I am sitting with him in a hospital waiting room. We decided that we should definitely have his brain looked at, before we start to accuse Marcus for his lack of memories. My heart wrenches at the thought of Tobias possibly having some brain disorder. I tap my foot on the tiles of the waiting room. I'm nervous.

I'm nervous for Tobias, I'm nervous that he might have to go through some unbearable procedure, but I'm also nervous that if he does have some disorder, that it will strip him from my life once again.

In the past few months, I've learned more about him then I've ever learned about anyone. We have become inseparable. I'm so thankful our paths have crossed again.

A couple weeks ago, he took me to Millennium Park. He pulled out a blanket and we sat in the lawn and shared fizzy drinks. They were kind of gross, actually. But it felt magical nonetheless. He took my head and his hands and asked me to be his girlfriend. And of course, I said yes.

And that's when I realized that I _love _him. It's a strange feeling. It feels almost as if there is a fire where my heart should be, burning brighter than the sun. My love for him could burn down all of Chicago, and maybe it will.

He places a firm hand on my bouncing knee, to stop my nervous tapping. "I'm going to be alright, Tris." He says, softly.  
>"But, what if you're not?" I say, biting my lip.<br>His eyes soften. "I will be." He whispers.

I stare at the floor. He takes my small hand in his large one, and rubs circles on my palm in attempt to calm me down. I try to relax as Tobias's thumb glides against the soft skin of my palm in a soothing manner. It's more likely that it was Marcus, anyway. But how? I shake my head. None of this makes any sense.

I didn't even remember until a few months ago, so, maybe there's something wrong with me too.

"Maybe they should check me, too." I say after a moment.

He nods. "Good idea."

Sure, it would be understandable if both of us didn't remember a small encounter, but a whole night? You don't just forget things like that.

Tobias must notice my mind racing back and forth, because he gives my hand a squeeze. "We'll figure it out." He says.

I look up at him. "I really hope you're right."

A nurse walks through a door, wearing bright pink scrubs with a cartoon design. She balances a clip board on her hip, and looks down it, looking bored.

"Tobias Eaton." She says, looking up.

He stands up, pulling me up with him, and we walk toward the nurse. Her skin is a dark chocolate brown, and her black hair is straightened around her shoulders. Her eyes flicker back and forth between Tobias and I, as if questioning why the two of us are coming, when clearly the appointment was for him.

"She needs to be examined too," Tobias says. "She's my girlfriend."

The nurse's plump lips pull into a smirk. "Alright." She says, still smirking.

She turns around and leads us back into the door from which she came from. I walk close beside Tobias. The haul seems to starch on for a long time and is lined with lots of doors. I would get lost here.

The nurse stops at one of the doors, that has a label that reads, _Examination Room_. I tense up a little as the Nurse pulls open the door. She ushers both of us in.

"The doctor will be with you in a moment." She says quickly, and then exits the room, shutting the door behind her.

The room is like any other doctor's room, with an exam table covered in paper, cabinets filled with medical supplies, two chairs next to the table, and a small sink. Tobias and I sit in the chairs, and wait for the doctor. I lean my head against his shoulder.

"We're going to be fine." He murmurs.

The door in front of us swings open, and a middle aged man appears, dressed in a white lab coat.

"I'm Dr. Robinson, and I'll be assisting you two today." He pauses for a moment. "Sorry you weren't able to get an appointment sooner. I've been packed."

I nod. "I'm sure you have been."

It's taken us months to get an appointment with him. My mother believes that he is the best doctor in town, especially for what we're here for.

"So," Dr. Robinson says. "What's the problem?" I shift a little and Tobias explains our situation.

Dr. Robinson pushes his spectacles farther up his nose. "Interesting." He says. "So you remember?" He looks at me. "And you don't?" He looks at Tobias. We nod in unison. "But," he continues. "You _didn't _remember until a few months ago?" I nod.

"Well," he says. "I'll do a regular physical for both of you, then send you in for MRIs."

"Alright." I say.

"Have a seat Miss Prior," The Doctor says, patting the paper on the exam table.

I get up from the chair and hoist myself up on to the table. The paper rips a little. Dr. Robinson looks in my eyes, ears, and throat, and listens to my heart. Then he asks me to lay down on the table, and I do, hesitantly. He lifts up the bottom of my shirt, and starts to feel my stomach. I tense. Tobias glares at him from behind. But after a moment, he takes his hands off of my abdomen and pulls my shirt back down. I sit up quickly.

"Alright," Dr. Robinson says. "Now let me have a look at you Mr. Eaton."

I hop down off of the table as Tobias sits on it. The Doctor repeats the same medical things he just did with me, but for some reason I feel a hint of anger whenever the doctor touches Tobias. I quickly push the thought from my head. _He is a doctor. A middle aged doctor. He's just doing his job. _

When he finishes with Tobias, he escorts us into a large room with an interesting machine in the middle. It is big and round, and a man sized tray protrudes from it. The far wall is a window, and people sit behind it, typing on computers.

"Is that an MRI?" I ask Tobias, pointing at the machine.

Tobias looks at it and pales. "Yes." He says, so low I can barely hear him.

_Why is Tobias nervous?_ I look at the machine. _Oh. _It looks as if the tray slides into the machine. It looks pretty tight. I do remember Tobias telling me he was claustrophobic.

"Hey," I say, grabbing Tobias's hand. "I'll be here the whole time."

He swallows hard, but manages to nod.

The doctor instructs me to lay down on the metal tray. I do as I'm told. The doctor comes around and places three large straps over me, securing me tightly to the tray. He then presses a button, sending the tray into the machine. Once I am completely in, the doctor yells at me, telling me to lay perfectly still. I close my eyes, and someone places a hand on my calf. _It must be Tobias. _

The machine makes several noises, and then a pounding begins. It starts out softly, but begins to grow louder and louder, until the noise begins to hurt my eardrums. It sounds as if a thousand people were punching a wall. I try to imagine my coworkers hitting the wall, instead of the strangers. I try to picture Lynn, Uriah, Christina, Zeke, Marlene, and Will all banging against the wall, in a flurry of black fabric. I've always admired my friends, or _coworkers, _for their bravery. But along with that bravery, we all tend to be reckless. As I imagine all of them pounding against the wall in a dauntless manner, the noise becomes bearable.

I don't know how long it has been when the tray pulls out, and the pounding stops. I am unstrapped from the metal tray, and Tobias helps me to stand up.

"It's not as bad as it looks." I murmur to Tobias, caressing his arm.

He nods and steps up on the tray. The doctor once again straps him down, and his MRI starts. I place my hand on his calf too, just so he will know that I'm here.

—-

About an hour later, Tobias and I are sitting our original exam room eagerly awaiting the results. We haven't spoken for a while. Perhaps it is because there is just nothing to say. Or maybe, it's because there is too much to say. I'm scared to find out if we have a disease, but at the same time, I'm also afraid to find out if we don't have a disease. The latter is more likely. My mind races back and forth with itself, trying to understand what we should do for both situations. I don't think I'd be able to handle the even slight chance of Tobias having something, that could potentially, be fatal. But I also can't handle the fact that something, or someone, was able to get into our heads, and erase something as personal a _memory. _But that brings me to another thought, _what if I have _**_more_**_ memories I don't remember? What if they're with him?_

"Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton." A voice says, as the door to the hospital room opens. It is Dr. Robinson.

He is holding what appears to be images of a brain. _Our brains_, I guess. He pulls a swivel chair in with him, and closes the door. He the plops down on it, causing it to speak under his weight.

"No tumors, lesions, or abnormal growths for either of you." He says, spreading the two pictures out on his lap. "And you don't have Alzheimer's either, which is what I was expecting, as it is extremely rare at your age." He pauses for a moment. "The only thing I did find," My hearts skips a beat. "was that you Beatrice," He looks up at me and points to the picture of the slightly smaller brain on his left knee. "have an abnormally large prefrontal cortex. But that shouldn't lead to any memory issues." He sighs. "You guys' problem is definitely not medical related, so I suggest you talk to your father to see if he knows anything." Dr. Robinson stands up, and grapes the back of the chair. "Good luck, you two." And with that, he leaves, dragging his rolling chair behind him. The door slams closed.

I look at Tobias. His eyes are dark and filled with an emotion that is definitely not aimed at me. There is a crease between his furrowed eyebrows, as he glares at the floor.

"Well," He says, continuing to glare at the floor. "It was definitely Marcus." His voice is thick with hatred, and I can tell that this is his way of telling me it's game time.


	6. Chapter 6

Tobias is tense. His muscles are flexed underneath the thin cotton shirt he is wearing, and his lips are pressed into a hard line. We now sit in his car, he is in the driver seat, and I am in the passenger.

"Does your house have a guest bedroom?" Tobias asks.  
>I raise my eyebrows at his question. "No," I cross my arms. "Why?" "I think I'm going to sell the house." He replies.<p>

I nod, slowly. Tobias has been living in he and Marcus's house ever since he was arrested. I'm surprised Tobias has managed as long as he has. The house must have many bad memories for him. I suppose the fact that Marcus is our number one suspect at this point, pushed him over the edge.

"You can sleep in my room." I suggest.

His knuckles start to turn white on the steering wheel, from gripping too hard. "How would your parents feel about that?" He turns the steering wheel, and the car heads down the street of my house.

"I don't care." I say. "I have an extra bed that pulls out from underneath mine. They should be fine."

He nods, slowly. "I suggest we go to the jail house tomorrow, to talk to Marcus." "Yeah," I look out the window.

With one last turn of the steering wheel, Tobias pulls the car into our driveway. I open the door, and hop down. His car is pretty big, it's quite a jump down for me. I walk around the side of the car, and Tobias stands, waiting for me. He offers me his hand, and I gladly take it. Together, we walk toward the front door of my two story house and I ring the doorbell.

My mom answers the door. "Hi Beatrice," She smiles and gives a quick nod toward Tobias. "Tobias."

"We need to have a discussion." I say.

"Alright," She says softly. She steps back from the door, and ushers both of us into the living room.

I sit on the couch and Tobias follows suite. My mother tucks a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear.

"So," I begin. "Tobias is Marcus Eaton's son." I blurt out.

My mother's eyes soften as she folds her hands, and sits down on the edge of a red leather chair that is across from us.

"I know." She says.  
>Tobias's eyebrows furrow. "How?"<p>

"Andrew used to work with him, quite closely, actually." She pauses for a moment. "I have met you before a few months ago, Tobias. When you were much younger."

Tobias nods slowly. And the room goes silent.

Tobias looks down and starts to trace patterns on the white cushions of the couch, trying to work up the nerve to ask my mom about staying.

"Tobias has been living in Marcus's old house," I break the uncomfortable silence. Tobias stops and looks up at me. "As you can imagine, the house holds many bad memories for him." My mother nods. When Marcus, the mayor of Chicago, was arrested, it made every headline. The whole city talked about it for weeks. People on the street would pass Tobias with looks of pity on their faces, and stare at him to see if they could find any scars peeking out from beneath his clothes. That's what Tobias told me, anyway. "He's thinking about selling the house, and I was thinking, he could move in with us."

My mother is quite for a moment, trying to think of what to make of this. "Where would he sleep?"

"On the pullout mattress." I say, to quickly. "Alright." She says. "If it helps you out, Tobias." He nods. "Thank you, M'am."

I smile softly. "Thank you, Mom."

She returns my smile. "You're welcome, Beatrice. Why don't you get settled Tobias? I want to have a chat with her." She gestures to me.

He nods and takes a small bag of all his possessions, upstairs to my room. I return my gaze to my mom.

"Yes?" I question.

She walks toward me, and takes a seat on the couch. She takes both of my hands in hers, forcing me to look her in the eye.

"I trust you, Beatrice." She says slowly. "Don't do anything you would regret." Heat rises to my cheeks, and I shake my head. "I won't."

She lets go of my hands slowly, and folds her hands in her lap. "I know." She stands up and walks toward the kitchen.

I scurry up the stairs, my face beet red. I rush into my room, and Tobias is sitting on the bed, holding a blue glass sculpture. Tobias takes one look at me and chuckles.

"What was that talk about?" His lips pull into a smirk. My face turns even redder. "What do you think?"

He laughs, and his cheeks turn a light shade of pink. He scratches the back of his neck. "Um," he looks away uncomfortably.

I think I should tell him about my fear of intimacy. _I don't want him to be disappointed.  
><em>"I don't want you to be disappointed..." I start, and Tobias raises his eyebrows. "but I'm afraid

of...um..._that_." I squeak.

A gentle smile forms on his face and he stands up and begins to walk toward me. He gently wraps his arms around my waist, and brings me to him. He nuzzles his face into my hair, so his lips are right by my ear.

"I don't expect anything like that from you." He whispers.  
>"I love you." I say.<br>He pulls back a little from our embrace, and puts his hands on my arms. "Say it again." His deep voice rumbles.  
>I look into his deep blue eyes. "I love you, Tobias."<p>

He pulls me back into his embrace. "I love you too, Tris."

And we stay like that, his head nuzzled into my blond hair, and my face pressed up against his toned chest, for a long time. I don't know how much time has passed when I pull away slightly to look up at him. I place my hands on his chest, stand on my tip-toes, and press my lips to his. He moves his hands down to grip my hips tightly.

The kiss starts out slow and passionate. I feel every place we come together and pull away. Every time our lips press together waves of electricity course throughout my body. I feel Tobias's heat radiate off of him, as his soft lips collide against mine. He is trying to show me how much he loves me by the way his tender lips dig into mine. His hands grip my hips tighter, and I run my hands up his back into his hair. I tug on it softly and a small moan escapes Tobias's mouth. The pace of our kiss quickens and Tobias pulls me even closer to him. My fiery love for him burns deep inside of my chest. The flames are licking my insides as my great abundance of love for Tobias grows. This kiss is unlike our first one, when we were nervous and inexperienced. I have now familiarized myself with the way our faces fit together and pull apart. It feels natural now, as natural as breathing, or speaking. We have each other memorized.

After an awkward family dinner, Tobias and I head upstairs again. My mother did a pretty good job of convincing my father to be okay with Tobias's stay, but Caleb was furious. No matter how many things Tobias told him about his past, Caleb still refused to accept it. This resulted in an angry lecture from my father, where he tried to explain that even though Tobias is eighteen, he still needs to be in a family environment, unlike his housing situation before. I assume my dad is so passionate about letting him stay here because he knew Marcus first hand, and he thinks Tobias is a great young man.

I throw open the door to my room and walk in. Tobias is right behind me, and he shuts the door softly. I head over to my twin day bed, and pull out the mattress from underneath it.

"This might not be very comfortable." I say apologetically.  
>"My old bed felt like sleeping on rocks," He looks down. "I'm sure it will be fine, thank you." I offer him a small smile. "You're welcome. I'm going to go get a shower."<br>He nods. "Can I take one after you?"  
>"Of course."<p>

I head towards my small bathroom. As soon as I'm in, I quickly shut the door. I love Tobias, but I'm still not ready for him to see even a glimpse of me, uh, undressed. Sharing a bedroom and a bathroom with a boy will be harder than I thought. I take off my clothes, that now smell of hospital exam rooms, and step into the shower. I turn the knob to the right, towards the red, and

hot water splashes down on me. I grab some shampoo, and rub it into my now wet hair. I begin to mindlessly sing a song that I heard on YouTube. I really like it.

_Cause with a sweep of your touch You send sparks to my core Never wanted so much  
>How could I ask for more? With one glance I blush<br>But I can't break the gaze Dauntless passion and fire And your blue eyes a blaze When you look at me _

I finish washing the suds from my hair, and turn off the water. I step out and wrap myself in a fluffy grey towel. I look on the counter and realize that in my rush to take a shower, I forgot my pajamas. I sigh, and grab a dark grey bathrobe that is hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I wrap myself in it, and open the door slowly. Tobias sits on the pull out mattress, turning the blue sculpture back and forth in his hands.

"Would you like to put that on my bookshelf?" I ask.

Tobias turns his gaze towards me and his eyes widen in lust. "I don't want to..." He pauses. "clutter your room with my stuff."

I laugh a little and shake my head. "This is your room now, too. And besides," I look at his bag of small possessions and clothes. "You don't have enough stuff to clutter my room."

He chuckles softly. "I can't thank you enough, Tris."

I smile. "I'm actually really glad you're here. That way I don't have to miss you when I'm at home."

He grins.  
>"You can put your clothes in the dresser." I say, heading towards it to find some pajamas. I find a pair of green and grey shorts, and a grey shirt. "And the bathroom's all yours."<p>

He nods and heads toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. I take off the robe, and slip into my pajamas. I hear the water turn on. I blush slightly at the thought of Tobias _in my shower. _

I head toward my bed, and pull back the black duvet with grey-blue birds. The sheets underneath are grey-blue also. I grab the book on my grey bedside table, which happens to be The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, and start to read. The white lights that line the top frame of my bed provide great reading light. The frame was meant to hold a canopy, but it didn't exactly, _suit me_. On the wall behind my bed are giant posters of the El train, and the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. The posters all have a rusty color to them, which brings out the yellowy white lights around my bed, and the marquee letters that spell out, _TRIS_. My room has an industrial feel to it.

The bathroom door opens, and Tobias steps out, clad in a pair of black, blue, and grey pajamas. His hair is still damp, and his expression looks calmer, more relaxed. An easy smile is playing on his lips. I think he's just glad to finally wash away the remains of Marcus's house off his skin, and begin a new chapter, with me.

I get out from underneath the covers and sit on the edge of the bed and look at Tobias. His smile grows as he walks towards me and sits down in the pullout mattress.

"Are you tired?" He asks.  
>I nod as a yawn escapes my mouth.<p>

He smiles and stands up, and places a firm hand on my cheek. He then pulls my face toward him, and his soft lips press against my forehead. When he pulls away he runs his thumb along my jawline and says, "Goodnight, Tris."

"Goodnight, Tobias." I reply, smiling sleepily.

He smiles and resumes his place on the mattress below mine. I unplug the lights framing my bed, and the room goes black. I snuggle up under the covers, as the thread of sleep pulls me in.

I awake several hours later with a yell. "TOBIAS!" I scream, breathlessly. My eyes fly open and realize it was only a dream. I look around my room, as my eyes adjust to the pitch black. _Marcus was killing him. _I shake my head vigorously. _It was just a dream. Marcus is in jail. _

Tobias stirs on the mattress below me with a groan. His eyes flutter open sleepily. "Tris? Are you alright?" He asks, sleep still apparent in his voice.

I blink away the tears that have formed in my eyes, and shake my head. "Nightmare." I simply state.

Tobias nods and crawls up onto my bed. I get out from underneath the covers, and Tobias pulls me onto his lap.

"Want to talk about it?" He asks.

I shake my head, that is now buried in his chest. If we talked about it, he would begin to hate Marcus more than he already does, because he is starting to effect me. That is the last thing he would want.

"Alright," he murmurs, softly. He hugs me tighter. "I meant to tell you, you have an amazing voice."

Heat rises to my cheeks, and I have never been more thankful for the darkness. _He heard me in the shower. _

"Was that song about me?" He asks.

I nod, my face becoming even redder. Every time I sing it, I think of him. He kisses the top of my head.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" He asks, his voice taking on a gentler tone. "Yes," I say. "Please."

I get off of his lap, and back under the covers, clearing a space for him. He gets underneath the covers with me and wraps me up in his arms. I wrap my arms around him too, and lay my face against his chest. I let the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat lull me to sleep. I have never felt safer. When I am in his arms, it feels as if nothing could ever get to me. And I know the nightmares will not come again.


	7. Chapter 7

In the morning, I wake up, happier than I have ever been. My face is still pressed firmly against Tobias's chest. I pull away slightly to look at him. His eyes are closed, his breaths are even, and a content smile stretches across his lips. I place a hand on his shoulder, and kiss his cheek. His eyes open slowly, and his smile grows when he sees me.

"Morning." I say.

"Good morning." He responds. I've never seen him happier or more well rested. I suppose that even though I woke him up in the middle of the night, he slept better than he has in ages, because he was with me. The same thing applies to me, too.

His eyes seem to full of pure bliss, but then the realization hits. _We have to visit Marcus today. _He sighs, and I can see in his eyes that he is dreading the events of today.

"I hate to say this, but we should probably get up." I say, caressing his arm gently.  
>He nods. "Yeah," he looks into my eyes. "But one day, we should stay like this all day."<p>

I smile. "There will be plenty of those days."

He nods, and kisses my lips. When he pulls away, he runs a hand along my cheek, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Beautiful." He whispers. And by the way he looks at me, I believe him. Despite my childish body, my plain facial features, and all of my other flaws, I don't wish I was any different.

My back is pressed firmly against the bed frame, and Tobias is almost hanging over the edge, but somehow, we're comfortable. So comfortable, that I don't feel like moving. He sighs, and sits up. I sit up when he does, and Tobias swings his legs over the side to stand up. A shudder courses through him when his feet touch the cold floor. It is almost spring, but the nights are still cold. He stands up and looks through my, _our_, dresser to find something to wear. He pulls out a black button up shirt, and dark wash blue jeans. I stand up too, and look in the drawer to find something to wear, I settle on a long sleeved black shirt, and high waisted jeans, the color of Tobias's.

"I'll change in the bathroom." I say, taking my folded clothes into the bathroom with me. I see Tobias nod, right as I'm closing the door. I sigh softly once the door closes and slip on my outfit, and run a brush through my hair. This is the extent of my morning routine. I look in the mirror. A girl stands before me and her face has color, and is not as tense as the one I know. She looks almost _happy. _Then I realize, that girl is me. It's amazing how much your appearance can change when things as simple as your mood change.

I slip out the bathroom door as Tobias is buttoning the last button on his shirt. He looks at me, and gives me a nervous smile. His hair has grown out a little in the past few months, and he looks _very attractive. _

I take a few steps toward him. "Ready?" I ask, taking his hand in mind.

His expression hardens and he nods. We walk down stairs, hand in hand, and I grab two muffins on the way out the door. We had time to sit down for breakfast, but Tobias is extremely eager to get this over with. I guess I can't blame him.

We step outside, get into his car, and he pulls out of the driveway. Then we begin our forty five minute drive to the outskirts of the city, where the jailhouse is. I hand Tobias a muffin.

He smiles a little. "Thanks, Tris."

I nod, "You're welcome." I take a bite out of the muffin. It's blueberry. "Do you think he'll recognize you?"

Tobias seems to ponder this for a moment. "I doubt it." He mutters. "The last time I saw him I was scrawny and awkward, and..." He pauses for a moment. "Stiff."

I nod. Tobias has put on _a lot _of muscle since that incident in the airport.

"I started taking self defense when he was put in jail. Just in case." He says. "I really enjoy it. It's a good way to release anger."

"Yeah, I enjoy it too."

"You should come to my studio sometime," he says, making the turn out of my neighborhood.

I take another bite of the muffin and look out the window. "What do we say?" I ask. I know we're going to interrogate Marcus, and get some sort of a lead, but I never thought of questions to ask. Marcus won't just _give _us the answers we're looking for.

"I'll handle it. You can say anything whenever you feel so inclined."  
>I nod, but feel a lump in my throat. I hope Tobias isn't trying to prove anything to Marcus.<p>

I turn on the radio. _Tobias will be wise about it. _Nothing good is playing on the stations, so I put it on his CDs. Night Visions by Imagine Dragons begins to play. I put it on Demons and start to sing along.

_When the days are cold _

Tobias starts to sing with me. He sings the lower part, and I go up half an octave.

_And the cards all fold  
>And the saints we see<br>Are all made of gold  
>When your dreams all fail<br>And the ones we hail  
>Are the worst of all<br>And the blood's run stale  
><em>Tobias sings this line: _I want to hide the truth _he looks at me.

_I want to shelter you _

He looks back at the road. _But with the beast inside, there's no where we can hide _We sing this line together: _No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed _

_T_obias sings. _This is my kingdom come _I join him. _This is my kingdom come H_e sings _When you feel my heat _I sing _Look into my eyes  
><em>We harmonize. _It's where my demons hide  
>H<em>e sings, _don't get too close, it's dark inside _

I join him again and our voices fill the car in perfect harmony. _It's where my demons hide, it's where my demons hide_.

"You have a really nice voice." I say.

He shakes his head. "Nah." He looks at me for a moment. "You, on the other hand, have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard."

I blush. "You don't give yourself enough credit." My face gets even redder. "I love your voice." He smiles and looks back at the road.

About thirty minutes later Tobias and I arrive at the jail house. He parks his car in the "parking lot", next to a big white van with metal bars lining the windows. I don't want to know what it's for. A dirt path stretches out before us, lined with a barbed wire fence, and at the end, a small building that blocks the path to the main building. A security thing, I assume. Tobias and I start down the path. Every now and then one of my combat boots will come in contact with a big rock, but Tobias catches me before I fall. Although his efforts are sweet and comforting, he seems tense; angry, even. Not with me of course, but with the idea that Marcus is probably the one who messed with the inside of our heads.

A security guard greets us at the halfway point. "Name." He says, in a deep monotone voice.

"Tobias Eaton." Tobias says, sternly. He has transformed into someone else from who he was a minute ago. He is no longer the gentle Tobias, who kisses me softly, and holds me when I cry; but now the Tobias that was hurt so many years ago. The Tobias that was beaten, whipped, and tortured. This is the older, strong, faster version of him, who will destroy anything in his wake.

At the name, the guard's eyes widen in realization and he lets us pass security without another word. Tobias Eaton used to be a shameful name, now it is a powerful one.

A guard from inside the small building tells us to follow him, and he will take us to the place where we will have our conversation with Marcus. It is a small, soundproof room with a window dividing it in half. Chairs are on both sides of the window, and a small speaker rests on the table on the prisoner's side. Eerie bright white flickering lights hang above our heads, making everything in the room too bright. The floor is light gray cement, and scattered with dirt. The security guard leaves the room without another word, and shuts the door. Tobias turns to face the glass wall, and sits down on the edge of the chair, as if he might have to flee in an instant. I sit down as well. On the other side of the glass, a man limps toward the chair, with his head down. He slowly lowers himself onto the chair. He is wearing bright orange scrubs and his hands are bound together by metal cuffs. He lifts his head up slightly, just enough that I can see a scowl is plastered on his face. His lips turn down in a similar way to Tobias's, except that his are now wrinkled and quivering. Hatred fills his eyes as he glares at Tobias.

"Hello, son." He snarls.

Tobias returns his glare. "I am _not _your son."  
>Marcus laughs dryly and his whole body shakes. He runs a chained hand through his graying hair.<p>

"Prior," he says shifting his gaze to me.

Tobias's body goes rigid. "How do you know her?"

"Your father and I were very close. And..." He stops and looks at Tobias. "We met in the airport."

"What did you do?" Tobias growls, so low and animal-like I can barley understand him. Marcus remains silent.

Tobias jumps up from his seat, pounds his fists against the glass and screams, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Marcus raises an eyebrow. "You expect me to tell you?"  
>Tobias takes deep, ragged breaths and his right hand pounds against the glass again.<p>

Marcus laughs, this time in a more sadistic manner. He wears some of Tobias's features on his face, but that is where the similarities end. He looks like a psychopath.

Tobias breathes too fast, and too deeply, as he contemplates what to say next. This isn't going anywhere.

"It was one thing," Tobias starts. "to hurt me. To beat me, to whip me, and to torture me. But when you hurt her," His gaze shifts to me, then back to Marcus. "and strip her of her memories, and me of the only good memories I had as a child," Tobias takes a deep breath. "you have crossed the line, Marcus."

"It's sad." Marcus says. "That your first instinct is to blame me when your small little brain can't remember anything."

"Nobody else is as sick as you are." I say. "So tell me, Marcus Eaton, what are you and your pathetic group of city leaders hiding?"

Marcus smiles. "That's none of your concern."

Tobias's fist pounds against the glass again. "NONE OF OUR CONCERN?"

Marcus laughs again, and I see just how fragile he is. Spending time in prison has seems to of sped up his aging process. Dark circles are underneath the wrinkled skin of his eyes, and his face has started to sag. He looks nothing like the beloved mayor of Chicago used to.

Tobias is fuming, and Marcus does not respond.

"He's no use, Tobias." I say after a moment.

Tobias steps back from the glass. "You're right." He says. "He's just a pathetic old man." Tobias turns his back on him, and reaches for my hand. I eagerly slip mine into his. We are not people who touch each other carelessly; every point of contact is like a rush of energy or relief.

Tobias looks down at me. "Come on, Tris. The government is hiding things, and we need to figure it out."

I nod. I have a feeling that whatever happened with our brains is part of a much bigger plan than just getting rid of some teenager's memories. And I usually trust my instincts.


	8. Chapter 8

"What can I get ya?" A barista says, pressing a button on her cash register.

After the incident with Marcus, Starbucks sounded like a good idea.

"Grande Vanilla Latte." I say.

She looks up to meet my eyes. "Your name?"

"Tris," I say. "T-R-I-S." I decide to spell it for her before she asks. I've gotten Trix, Trice, Trish. I suppose that the baggage that comes with having a weird nickname.

"And you?" Her eyes shift to Tobias's.

"Just a black coffee."

She picks up a cup and a sharpie. "Just a black coffee?" He nods.

"Are you sure you don't want to try our new flat white?" She asks.

His eyebrows furrow. "Positive."

She sighs and clicks her sharpie. "Name?"

"Four." He says, sternly.

Her eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "Ford?"

"FOUR!" He says, a little too loudly.

"Oh. Okay." She writes a small "4" on the paper Starbucks cup.

I grab Tobias's hand and lead him toward the tables.

"My god." Tobias says, taking a seat in the expresso colored chair.

I take a seat when he does, and a smirk forms on my face.

"Um. Trish?" A voice calls from the counter. My back is facing wherever the voice came from, so I roll my eyes. Tobias lets out a small chuckle.

I stand up, walk toward the counter and grab my steaming hot drink, nodding in the direction of the barista who attempted to call my name. "Thanks."

He nods. "No problem." He continues to make another drink. I decide to wait by the counter, as it is most likely Tobias's.

He puts the lid on the cup and a crease forms between his eyebrows when he sees the small number scrawled on the cup in sharpie. "Ummm... Four?"

This barista isn't sure about anything. He slides the drink across the counter and I grab it with my free hand.

I walk back towards our table. Tobias smiles at me. I hand him his drink.

"Thank you." He says.

"No," I return his smile. "Thank _you_." He paid, the least I could do was hand him his drink.

I slide down into the seat, and take a sip of my latte. There are few things better than a Starbucks latte in a cold Chicago February. The Starbucks cafe is warm, and smells heavily of coffee beans. The general atmosphere helps me relax a little. Coffee house music plays softly behind the hushed chatter.

"Good?" He asks.

I nod. "Mmmhmmm."

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out and read the text. It's from Tori. It reads: _"Lynn just quit"_

I send one back saying, _"why?"_

_"Who knows. Know anyone to take her place?" _

I get an idea and say, "_Let me get back to you on that._" I click my phone off, and look up with Tobias.

"Oh no," he says. "What?"

"Would you like a job at Hot Topic?"

He takes a sip of his coffee, pondering the idea.

"Your shift would be with mine." I say, hoping this will persuade him further.

"Well," he says after he swallows a sip of coffee. "That would be fun. And it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra cash."

I smile. "It never does. Thank you, Tobias!"

I pull out my phone and text Tori again. "_I've got someone!" _

She replies instantly. _"Great. Bring them in tomorrow_."

I smile at my phone. "_You got it!" _

I shut it off once again and look back up at him. "Okay. So, about that visit with Marcus," I start.

His eyes harden. "The government is definitely hiding things, Tris." He takes another sip of his coffee.

I nod. "What should we do about it?"

"We should..." He sighs. "Stay put for now. You and I have jobs and school to manage. Maybe we should finish out the year before we get too wrapped up in whatever is going on. But," he pauses. "Is it really even our business, anyway?"

"Our business?! Whatever the government is hiding, they used it on us! It most certainly is our business!"

He sighs softy. "I don't know, Tris. Maybe they know what they're doing. Just because Marcus was horrible to me, doesn't mean he'd be that way to the people of Chicago."

I don't know why this hits me the wrong way. "How could you say that?!" Several people turn to look at me, and I take that as a sign to lower my voice. "You, of all people, _must _know that that

man is nothing but evil! I don't care what the government has in store, if it involves taking people's memories, it can't be good! Taking something as personal as someone's memories is cruel, Tobias. I don't care what their intentions are." I hiss.

Tobias looks down at the table.

"And didn't he work with that up and coming scientist, what was her name? Jeanine Matthews? The one who develops serums?"

"She works with medicine." He says. "They were working on bettering our Chicago hospitals with modern technology."

"Oh, bullsh*t." I mutter.

"Tris," Tobias says, in a warning voice.

"Sorry," I say. "It's just... I have a feeling that whatever they're up to, we need to stop it."

He nods. "We should. But don't do anything without my consent." His eyes eyes soften. "I don't want you getting hurt."

I sigh. "I won't get hurt, Tobias."

"Please," he murmurs softly. "Let's figure this out as a team."

I sigh. "Alright."

*****************************  
>That night, I lay awake next to Tobias, staring at the ceiling; too many things plaguing my mind.<p>

_Marcus, Jeanine, The Government. _I peer over Tobias, and my alarm clock reads _1:30 am_.

I lay back down, and return my gaze to the ceiling. I think Tobias and I should go visit Jeanine, and talk to her directly. She _might _be honest with us. Tobias lays next to me, gently pressed into my side. The muscles in his face are relaxed, and his mouth hangs open slightly. He looks peaceful. And very attractive, might I add. I rest my head on his toned chest, and his arm wraps around me.

"Can't sleep?" He asks, his voice sluggish.

I shake my head against his the soft flannel of his pajama shirt.

"What's troubling you?" His eyelids slowly open, to reveal the beautiful dark blue eyes I know so well. I wouldn't be able to see them though; if I had not been awake for such a long time. But now my eyes have completely adjusted to the darkness, and the moonlight illuminates his features with a soft, white glow.

"Jeanine, Marcus, and just," I shake my head. "I don't know. I feel violated."

He nods. "Yeah, I do too." He shakes his head. "I can't believe he's hurt you." He mutters.

His hand slides down the back of my head, stroking my hair idly. I take a deep breath against his chest and let out a small sigh. His heart beats fast underneath his soft shirt. Then his big, rough, yet gentle hands begin to play with my hair.

"I love you." He says.

I smile and lift my head off of his chest to look at him.

"And I will never," His hand grips my hair tightly, but not tightly enough to hurt me. "ever," he continues. "let any of them hurt you."

His deep set eyes sparkle in the moonlight and his full lower lip and spare upper lip seem to glow. I turn to where I am laying on my side, and I place my hand on his cheek. He blinks, and his eyelashes touch the skin underneath his eyebrow. I've never noticed that before. The darkness and the white glow combined make the perfect atmosphere, as I stare into the depths of his ocean-like eyes. I run my thumb along his cheek, gently. He lifts up his arm to hold my cheek, and carefully lowers my face down to his. This kiss is unlike our other ones, it is slow, and gentle, and more of a comforting kiss. His warm lips press against mine softly, sending chills down my spine. His lips then move to my jawline, and eventually my neck. A small sigh escapes from my throat, and my face burns. I feel Tobias's lips stretch into a grin against my skin, as his lips move down to my collarbone. He kisses each raven that Tori tattooed along the line of my collarbone the moment I turned sixteen. I don't know if my father has forgiven me for that yet. But right now, I don't care. I don't care that my father doesn't approve of my fearless friends, or that the government could possibly be plotting things and using us as guinea pigs, or that Jeanine is experimenting with things that could possibly destroy our city. _I don't care_. As Tobias's lips move back up to mine, I realize that there is _nothing _in this world that I care about more than _him_.


	9. Chapter 9

"Welcome to Hot Topic." I say, escorting Tobias into the store.

He looks around. He is already familiar with the store, but now he must be familiar with it in a new light. Working here, is _much _different from just shopping here. I suppose that's how it is with every business, though.

"I can't wait for you to meet my friends." I say excitedly, as I dig behind the counter looking for a new lanyard. I've told Tobias all about my friends here, but he's never met them.

He nods. After a few minutes of rummaging, and digging behind the counter, I find a new black lanyard that has the white Hot Topic logo all around the sides. Each employee gets one, to let the customers know that we work here. I slip it over his head and he smiles. I find the piece of paper that is meant to go in it, and write, "Four" on it in sharpie. I unzip the plastic pouch that hangs from the lanyard, and slip in the paper.

"It's official." I say, grinning.

He returns my smile. "It is indeed."

"We should take a photo to commemorate this moment." I say, pulling out my iPhone. I unlock it using my thumb print, and open the camera app. I press the small button in the corner of the screen to switch cameras so it faces us. I stretch my arm out to hold the phone and Tobias gets comes close. He is behind me, but he presses his face against mine. The two of us smile as I press the button to take the picture.

"Thank you." I say.

He pulls away. "Your welcome." He grins.

I post the new picture on Instagram with the caption, _New employee! _

"I really like this picture." I say, looking down at my phone.

"Me too." He kisses my cheek.

I glance over at the clock on the wall, it reads _9:00_am.  
>I run to the front of the store, and unlock the doors. We are officially open.<p>

This morning is exceptionally slow. I guess no one really comes to the mall on Sunday mornings. Tobias and I spend our time reorganizing merchandise, unloading boxes, and looking at things we might want to buy for ourselves.

"Hey Tris!" Tobias says from across the store. "What about this?" Tobias holds up a padded bra, that is probably three times bigger than any of mine, with The Little Mermaid on it.

Heat creeps on to my cheeks, and I shout, "FOUR!" Even though the store is empty, someone could come any moment.

He chuckles softly and places it on its rightful hanger. A few seconds later our first customer of the day comes in. It is a girl with bright pink hair, tattoos, and a silver ring through her lip.

"Welcome to Hot Topic!" I say, pushing down the remnants of my blush. "If you need any help my name is Tris."

She nods, and starts to walk toward the wall of tee shirts. I busy myself reorganizing the little gadgets for sale on the register. I straighten out the perfumes, bracelets, and phone cases. I am snapped out of my daze by the girl returning to the register, with a My Chemical Romance tee shirt in hand.

"You ready?" I ask, stepping behind the cash register.

"Yeah." She says, placing the folded shirt on the countertop.

I scan and bag it. "That will be $19.95."

She hands me a credit card. "Can I see your ID?"

"Sure." She reaches down and pulls her wallet out her back pant pocket and opens it up to reveal her ID in the plastic slip cover.

"Alright." I say, looking it over.

She folds her wallet back up and slides it back into her jean pocket. "Alright," I say. "You're good to go!"

She gives me a small smile, causing the metal ring in her lip to become taught. She turns on her heel, and her neon pink hair swooshes behind her.

No body else come in for a while.

"Um, Tris?" Tobias asks, his voice echoing from the back of the store.

I turn in the direction of the voice. "Yes, Tobias?" I ask, heading toward the back of the store.

Tobias is hanging up some merchandise for a new movie called 'Insurgent'. "Is the business always this slow?" He hangs up a black tee shirt with a silver flame on it that reads, _Dauntless_.

I pause for a moment and run my hand along the shirt, puzzled. _Why does this shirt have the name I use for my friends on it? _Something about the flame holds my attention. I feel something spark from deep inside of me, but I don't know exactly what it is. I furrow my eyebrows.

"You alright?" Tobias asks, his eyebrows scrunching together in concern.

I shake my head vigorously. _I suppose the shirt is just a coincidence. _"Yeah. Um. No business isn't always this slow."

He nods. "It is a Sunday."

I nod, still wondering about this eerily familiar opens his mouth to speak

again, but before he can, _Centuries _by _Fall Out Boy _fills the speakers. I turn to face Tobias. "I'd say it's pretty safe to say this is our song."  
>He grins, and pulls me close to him.<p>

_Some legends are told _

_Some turn to dust or to gold _

I place my hand on his cheek, and stare into the depths of his oceanic blue eyes.

_But you will remember me _

_Remember me for centuries _

_And just one mistake_

_Is all it will take_

_We'll go down in history _

_Remember me for centuries _

And as soon as the music picks up, he presses his lips to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him passionately. Everything exits my mind except for him, and the beat.

_Mummified my teenage dreams _

_No, it's nothing wrong with me _

_The kids are all wrong, _

_The story's all off_

_Heavy metal broke my heart _

Tobias presses me against the wall and his tongue runs along my lower lip, asking for entrance.

_Come on, come on and let me in_

I gladly let him in.

_The bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints_

_And this is supposed to match_

_The darkness that you felt_

_I never meant for you to fix yourself _

Tobias presses me against the wall harder, causing something on a clothing rack to clatter to the ground. But _I. Don't. Care. _

_Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold _

He kisses me harder.

_But you will remember me_

_Remember me for centuries_

_And just one mistake_

_Is all it will take._

_We'll go down in history _

_Remember me for centuries _

_Hey, hey, hey Remember me for centuries _

_And I can't stop 'til the whole world knows my name_

_'Cause I was only born inside my dreams_

_Until you die for me, as long as there is a light, my shadow's over you_

_'Cause I am the opposite of amnesia_

_And you're a cherry blossom_

_You're about to bloom_

_You look so pretty, but you're gone so soon _

Our kisses become faster, and more intense. I moan a little as his tongue moves inside of my mouth. His hands snake into my hair and holds my head steady.

_Some legends are told _

_Some turn to dust or to gold_

_But you will remember me _

_Remember me for centuries_

_And just one mistake_

_Is all it will take. _

_We'll go down in history _

_Remember me for centuries _

_Hey, hey, hey Remember me for centuries _

Tobias moves his hands down to hold my shoulders firmly, and moves his lips down to my neck. He kisses it roughly, causing my head to roll back in pleasure.

_We've been here forever _

_And here's the frozen proof_

_I could scream forever _

_We are the poisoned youth _

I wrap my legs around Tobias's waist firmly, placing all of my weight on the wall and Tobias. He moves his lips down to my exposed collarbone, and places kisses over my ravens.

_Some legends are told _

_Some turn to dust or to gold_

_But you will remember me _

_Remember me for centuries _

_And just one mistake_

_Is all it will take._

_We'll go down in history _

_Remember me for centuries_

_Hey, hey, hey Remember me for centuries _

His lips smile against my skin, as I run my hands into his hair and say. "Tobias."

_We'll go down in history _

_Remember me for centuries _

As if on cue, someone laughs as the last note of the song is played. I quickly release my legs from around his waste and turn toward the noise.

"I told you to lock the doors, Tris!"

Tobias and my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"URIAH!" I shout.

I turn toward Tobias. "Tobias this is Uriah," I make a hand gesture toward Uriah. Tobias nods stiffly, his face putting all tomatoes to shame.

"Uriah, this is Tobias."

Hours later, Tobias showers while I check my email at my desk. So far, no emails are out of the ordinary. Just the usual. Hot Topic promotions, Twitter notifications... I continue scrolling down and a particular email catches my eye.

**From: Jeanine Matthews (no subject) **

I squint at the screen to make sure I'm seeing this right. _What the hell does Jeanine Matthews want? _I finally muster up the courage and click on the email. Whatever she wants, it can't be good.

_Beatrice Prior, _

_It is to my understanding that you have become suspicious. A little bird told me that you and Tobias Eaton have already been to the jail cells to question Marcus about your "memory issues". As I am sure you are aware, Marcus and I were close partners. You are smarter than I though you were, to be able to retrieve those memories on your own. Marcus brought the both of you to me to experiment, as he suspected you were Divergent. For your safety, and ours, Marcus and I did erase yours and Tobias's memories. Yes, we have created a serum to do such things. If you have any intelligence whatsoever, you will _**_not _**_share this information with anyone. When I was experimenting on you, I discovered you and Tobias do indeed have a very uncommon brain condition,called Divergent. Essentially, that means that you are virtually resistant to the regular serums I have developed, and although this one has lasted longer, you managed to defy it as well. Your case of Divergent is much stronger than anyone else I have seen. I am still working on developing serums that will affect Divergents as well as people with normal brains. And you are the perfect subject. Since I have told you all of this information, it is not safe for you to continue living, in normal society, anyway. It is because of people like you that our society is so incredibly flawed. If you agree to come to the Erudite Center of Experimental Sciences and allow me to develop a serum that will affect Divergents permanently, _

_ending with your execution, I will let your family and friends continue to live, and no other citizen will ever have their memory taken from them against their will. If you do not agree, however, I will take what matters most to you, and I _**_will _**_put citizens under serums if need be. Hope to see you soon. _

_Sincerely,  
>Jeanine Matthews <em>

When I finish reading the email, I know what I have to do. _I'm so sorry, Tobias. _


	10. Chapter 10

_T_obias comes out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Small beads of water clutch desperately to the end of his dark locks, and his pajama pants hang carelessly around his waist. His lips pull into a small grin at the sight of me, and my heart wrenches, knowing that I have to leave him. Water clouds my eyes against my will, and I quickly look away. Tobias's lips quickly turn down and he walks toward me cautiously.

"What's wrong?" He asks softly, as he sits down on the bed next to me, causing the mattress to squeak underneath his weight.

I don't want to lie to him, but I can't tell him the truth. He'd gladly die for me, and I can't let him. I just can't. I clutch my duvet cover, and grit my teeth. _I'll tell him a version of the truth. _I think.

"I don't feel good." I say, my voice cracking. It's true, I _don't feel good. _I don't feel good about our government, about Jeanine's threats to kill Tobias and my family, and about having to leave him.

"Come m'ere." He murmurs. He pulls my head against his chest, and nuzzles his face into my hair. He releases a deep sigh that sends shivers down my spine. "Let's go to sleep. It was a long day."

I nod. Tobias turns slightly, and pulls down the covers. I get underneath them and snuggle up against my pillow. My stomach turns like I might be sick, and I pull the covers up to my shoulders. Tobias unplugs the string of Christmas lights around my bed, making the room go pitch black. He snuggles underneath the covers with me, and wraps his arms around me in a protective manner.

"I love you." I say.

Even though there is no light, I know he is smiling. "I love you too."

Once Tobias's breathing has slowed, and his grip around me has loosened, I slowly untangle myself from his limbs. I try to get out from underneath the covers, without them moving too much. I am successful. Once I am out of bed, I grab the neatly folded pile of clothes I laid out for "tomorrow" and slip into them silently.

I walk to the door of my room, and look back one last time at Tobias. He lays contently, with that familiar smile playing on his lips. Suddenly, I am overwhelmed with guilt, and I can't look at him anymore. I don't want to leave him. I love him, and he is the only thing I'm living for. But Jeanine's threats to kill him, along with my family, have left me with no other option. I know I couldn't live without him, but he'll be able to live without me.

I exit the room quietly, and pull the door to my bedroom shut. Water clouds my eyes, and for once, I let myself cry. _Because of you, Tobias and your family will live long lives. _My conscience tells me. _No citizen in Chicago will be experimented on by Jeanine. There will be no simulations. _Tear after tear falls down from my eyes, and I bite my lip to keep from sobbing. The moonlight shines through the only window in the hallway, and creates enough light for me to rush down the staircase. _I have to get out of here, now. Or else I won't be able to. _Once I get down into the kitchen, and am about to leave, a lonely pair of kitchen scissors grab my attention. _How can I look the same, when everything is different? _

Without thinking, I grab the scissors, and begin to cut my hair using my chin as a guideline. Blond strands of hair fall around me in a semi circle. It will probably look pretty bad, considering I can barely see my hand in front of my face. But I don't care. I don't care about anything anymore.

I use the back of my hand to wipe away the remaining wetness from my cheeks. I slowly lower the scissors down on the counter, so they won't make noise, and leave my house for the last time, not bothering to clean up my hair; the last piece Tobias will ever have of me.

As I exit my house, I don't look back. _I can't look back. _A splitting pain is in my chest where my heart should be, and I feel like I am being suffocated. The cold night air stings my damp cheeks, and turns the tip of my nose rosy. Even though I have not looked in a mirror, I know I look terrible. My eyes are probably red and swollen, and my bed hair looked bad enough when it was long. I release a breath, and it is so cold I can see it in the air. I break out into a sprint, and head toward the train station that is just five minutes from here. I should be able to get to the Erudite Center of Experimental Sciences by 1:30, if I run quickly.

_You have so much to live for, Tris. _Tobias's voice echoes in my head. I run faster. Maybe the burning pain in my legs will take away the burning pain in my heart.

I am almost the only one at the train station, except for an unkept man who is leaning against a pole. A duffel bag rests at his feet, and a small blanket is wrapped around his shoulders.

"What are you doing out here so late, little girl?" he asks, looking me up and down hungrily.

Bile rises in my throat at the thought of waiting for another train here, with this man. I don't answer his question.

He walks toward me slowly. "Not very talkative, are we?"

I look to my left, the train tracks are empty, and no lights shine in the distance. It will be at least 15 minutes. A train is just leaving the station, but the doors are closed. And it's moving. As the train leaves, I see a ledge on the back of it. _Then I get an idea. _

The man inches closer to me, and reaches to grasp my arm. Before he can, I leap onto the tracks and start to chase the moving train. It clicks over the railroad, and I run faster. I actually make it to the backside of the train, grab the metal bar, and pull myself onto the small ledge. I release a breath. _I just jumped onto a moving train. _

I look back to the station. The man stands there, frozen, a look of awe on his face. The sight makes me want to laugh, and I would, if I were not headed for my death right now. The wind whips my hair into my face as the train soars down the track, and for what is probably the last time ever, I feel alive.

Once the train gets close to Erudite, I leap off the back end, and land abruptly onto the tracks. I have to run a few steps to keep myself from falling on my face, but overall, I am pretty successful.

The Erudite building glimmers in the distance and I begin my half a mile walk to its front doors. While I am walking, I try to think about how many people I'm helping, but my mind always goes back to Tobias, and how heartbroken he'll be. His father was abusive, and now the only person who he loves, has left him. I shake my head. He can find another girl in an instant.

"_There will never be another like you." _Tobias's voice rings through my mind, and I bite my lip to keep from sobbing. _Pull it together. _He's wrong. There will be plenty of other girls for him, prettier, nicer ones. And over time, he'll forget about me.

I reach the front doors of Erudite, faster than I wanted to, and upon taking a deep breath, enter through its automatic doors. I am greeted by a large portrait of Jeanine on the back wall, and underneath it a woman clad in blue, typing away at a computer.

"Excuse me." I say. My voice echoes throughout the room.

"Just a moment." The woman in blue says, as her fingers jam into the keyboard.

I walk up to her desk and slam my hand down on its hard surface. "No."

She stops typing immediately and looks at me. That got her attention.

"My name is Beatrice Prior." I lift my hand from the desk. "Jeanine Matthews wants to see me."

The woman pushes her spectacles farther up the small bridge of her nose. "Divergent." she says, her eyes widening in fascination as she looks at me as if I were a rare animal species.

She pushes a button on her desk. "Divergent." she says again, into a small speaker on her desk.

Two men burst out from a door, wearing black and blue. _What? _

They walk over to me, and grab hold of both of my arms. I thrash against them, and try to get out of their grasp. They are too strong.

"Let me go," I growl. "I will walk with you on my own. I came here, didn't I?"

Another man emerges from behind the same door, and starts to pat me down as the other two men hold me tighter.

"Like we trust _you_." One of them laughs.

The men escort me through the door from which they came, and take me down several long

hallways. Finally, we arrive in front of a small door. The men open the door and shove me in.

I turn around to face them, a scowl plastered on my face.

"Testing begins tomorrow." The door is slammed in my face.

The room is small, and contains nothing but a small cot and a security camera. I stare into the camera lens, and wonder who, if anyone, is watching me.

I then make my way over to the cot, and cry myself to sleep. I miss him already, and this has just begun.


	11. Chapter 11

In the morning, I am awoken by a bright light. My eyes flutter open, and for a moment I think that I am back at home, with Tobias sleeping soundly by my side. After my eyes adjust to the light, the weight of reality crashes down on me. A man stands in the doorway to the small room that I am in, clad in a blue science coat.

"Good morning, Beatrice." he says, his voice too familiar. Caleb.  
>I squint at him, to make sure I'm seeing this right. Caleb wouldn't betray me. He wouldn't deliver me to my death. Would he?<p>

My heart drops. It is him.

"What-" my voice cracks. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I thought I should let you know what I've been doing while you were at school."

"You have got to be kidding me," I growl. "You've been working alongside Jeanine Matthews? Are you insane? You know how Dad feels about her, heck, you know how Dad feels about this whole facility!" I shout. "And now you've come to experiment on your sister? And execute her?"

"Beatrice," he says. "You're the one who came."

"They threatened to kill Mom and Dad! And Tobias! I couldn't live knowing I was responsible for their deaths!"

His face softens slightly.

"Did you know that?" I ask. "Did you know they threatened to kill our parents?"

"Yes." he says, not meeting my eyes.

"You have got to be-"

"Get her." Caleb growls.

Two men emerge from the door, and grab each of my arms. I thrash against them. "CALEB!" I shout, as tears cloud my vision. He does not look back at me. I watch as his figure slowly disappears down one of the long hallways. The men pull me in the opposite direction. An animalistic scream erupts from my throat.

I am dragged into another room. In it is a metal table, a few machines I have never seen before, and Jeanine Matthews herself, holding a syringe with a gray liquid inside.

"Tris," she says, with a look that is almost humorous. "glad to see you could make it." I scoff.

The two men lift me onto the metal table and pull straps across me, making it impossible for me to get up. I scowl. The metal is cold, and seems to seep into my bones. I shiver.

"This," Jeanine taps the syringe with her fingernail. "is part of our first simulation." An evil laugh escapes from her throat. Whatever that serum does, it can't be good.

"But before I inject you, I thought I would let you see all of the memories I erased." She points a small remote at a plane white wall. The wall becomes a glowing screen.

"When we injected you and Tobias with the memory serum, all of the memories we took were stored on this hard drive." She reaches into the pocket of her blue coat, and pulls out a small piece of something that looks like it belongs inside a computer. "We have no reason to keep these memories really, but we were testing to see if the memories were able to be fully transferred onto the hard drive. It was successful." A proud smile forms on her thin lips. "So we might as well show them to you."

She plugs the hard drive into the remote. An image of young Tobias pops up on the screen, and my heart skips a beat. Tobias on the screen starts laughing, at something I said apparently.

"Marcus might be here any minute." he says. The "camera" bobs up and down. I must of nodded. It's strange, to see memories played back as a video. It's almost as if my eyes are the camera. I didn't know we had the technology to do that.

The focus leaves from young Tobias, and looks around. It is in the Chicago airport. A man marches toward us, a furious scowl plastered on his face. Marcus.

"How did you get here?" Marcus growls at Tobias. I back up slightly. "I, uh." Tobias stutters. His face contorts in fear.

Marcus grabs Tobias's wrist and starts to drag him away.  
>"Stop!" My voice when I was 11, shouts, with as much strength as I could at 11.<p>

Young Tobias's eyes soften.

"Who's this?" Marcus looks at Tobias, his eyebrows drawn together in anger.

"My friend." Tobias says defensively.

"Your friend?" A malicious laugh comes from inside Marcus's throat and he grabs my wrist too. The screen goes black.

The screen boots up again after a moment, and this time Tobias and I are in a room, much like the one I am staying in now, with nothing but a small cot. We must be here, in Erudite.

"Tobias," I cry. "They are going to experiment on us, and erase our memories." I can tell by the tone of my voice that I've been crying.

Tobias sniffs and wraps me in his embrace.

"I don't want to forget you." I murmur into his shirt.

"We'll find each other again. I promise." he says softly.

The screen fades to black once more.

The sight of Tobias brings tears to my eyes, and I quickly blink them away.

Jeanine smiles in mock sympathy. "Aw."

I growl. "Well anyway," Jeanine says, lining her fingers up on the syringe.

All of a sudden, red lights start to flash and a siren blares. "Code red." A robotic voice says over the speaker. "Code red." It repeats.

My eyes widen, and I thrash against my restraints. Jeanine places a finger on her ear piece, and shouts, "You have got to be kidding me!" She turns to look at me. "Your boyfriend is here in a desperate attempt to save the day."

A warm feeling fills my chest. He came.

There is a vicious pounding on the lab door. Someone is trying to break it down. The pounding continues, and someone on the other side lets out a frustrated yell. With that, the door falls to the ground, and Tobias stands, with a shotgun in hand, right before me. His eyes soften and he rushes toward the metal table I am laying on. He leans his forehead against mine, and releases a sigh. "Tris." He brings his hand up to stroke my hair.

"Tobias," I whisper. "you came."

He leans out only slightly and smiles at me. "Of course I did." He brings my head toward him and places a gentle kiss on my forehead.

After a quick moment, he leans out and points his shotgun at Jeanine. "Where is the memory serum?" he asks, his voice almost a growl.

"Put the gun down." Jeanine says.

"Where's the serum?" Tobias asks again, his voice becoming louder. Jeanine does not answer.

Tobias's fingers get in position on the trigger. Even with the loud sirens blaring, and the red lights flashing, the room seems to have a moment of silence. Tobias finally pulls the trigger, and the bullet goes straight through Jeanine's head. I quickly look away.

Her body falls to the floor with a loud thump, and sends a metal cart of test tubes full of serums toppling over. The glass tubes shatter, and a rainbow of colored liquids cover the floor. Tobias whips out a pocket knife and begins to cut the thick straps pinning me to the table.

"What do you think you're doing?" a voice from behind us says.

Tobias turns in the direction of the voice, and scowl crosses his face. "Caleb," he snarls. "What the hell?"

I can't see Caleb's reaction because of the restraints and the direction the table is facing, but he is silent.

"What you're doing is illegal. You just wait till I turn all of you into the police." Tobias says, and continues to frantically cut away at the straps.

Caleb laughs. "Wait till I turn you in."

Tobias shakes his head. One of the straps breaks. "You have nothing to turn me in for."

"You killed Jeanine!" he shouts.

"She was about experiment on and kill my girlfriend!" he bites his lip, as if fending off tears. My heart wrenches.

Tobias manages to cut all of the straps pinning me down, and lifts me carefully off the table into his arms. He places a soft kiss on my temple. "Let's get out of here. I'll take care of this later." he nods his head in the direction of Caleb.

Tobias places me on the floor softly and says, "Get on my back." I do just that. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his iPhone, and dials 911.

"Hi. Yes. There's an emergency down at the Erudite Center of Experimental Sciences. Illegal serums and simulations were in use by the leader, Jeanine Matthews, and she's been trying to kill my girlfriend." Tobias says. He pauses for a moment listening to the voice on the other end. "Yeah," he says. "I'm getting myself and my loved ones out of the building." And with that, we rush out the doors toward safety.

Blue and red lights flash before me, and sirens blare. Tobias sets me down onto the the cement outside the building gently. A police officer walks toward us, a clip board in his hand. He looks to us, then back to the clipboard.

"Please, Ms. Prior and Mr. Eaton, come with me." The officer says, leading us toward his car. He opens up the door to the back seat, and I tense, wondering if they are going to frame us as criminals.

The officer chuckles softly. "You aren't in trouble." He places a hand in between my shoulder blades to escort me into the car. I crawl across the seats, and Tobias gets in after me. I buckle the seat belt, and so does he.

The officer gets into the front seat, and puts his keys in the ignition. "I'm going to take you two back to the station, so we can ask you a few questions." He looks at me through the mirror that hangs from the roof of his car. I nod.

Tobias grabs my hand that lays curled in my lap, and begins to rub soothing circles on the surface of my palm. I look at him. His eyebrows are drawn together in concern and and a smile that is almost sad plays on his lips. The twinkle in his eyes tells me that we are going to have a long conversation about this whole thing later. The words that he is not speaking hang in the air between us. In this moment, I want to tell him how much I love him, but know it is too intimate for the back of a police car. He risked his life for me.

The police officer turns on the radio, and a song by Imagine Dragons starts to play.

_I know I took the path that you would never want for me _

_I know I let you down, didn't I? _

I meet Tobias's eyes, the words in the song speaking so I don't have to.

_So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me _

_Well I'm just a slave unto the night_

_Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me _

_Remember when I broke you down to tears _

Tobias's eyes darken, with an unreadable emotion.

_I know I took the path that you would never want for me_

_I gave you hell through all the years_

_So I_

_I bet my life _

I offer Tobias a small smile.

_I bet my life_

_I bet my life_

_On you... _

_I  
>I bet my life <em>

_I bet my life_

_I bet my life_

_On you... _

I place my other hand, that he is not holding, on the car seat between us and lean forward. He leans forward too, and our lips meet.

_I've been around the world_

_And never in my wildest dreams _

_Would I come running home to you _

I pull away before the cop can see us.

_I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth _

I run my hand along his cheek and look into his deep blue eyes.

_There's you in everything I do _


End file.
